How to check four things before anyone rakes out the joints of an old Adelaide wall
By Artigellence ·
Before anyone rakes out the joints of an old wall, check what the mortar will be, what is being done to render and paint, whether the house is a heritage place and who is authorised to do the work. The joint heritage guide says not to use hard cement mortar to repoint failed lime mortar joints. The lime repointing page and the rules list cover the rest.
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Why the order matters
Adelaide heritage surveys describe masonry house by house. The Kensington and Norwood survey says of the property on Fisher Street, Norwood: "Appears in reasonable condition for its age, although base of wall has been repointed suggesting damp repairs." It is a description at survey time, not advice, but it shows pointing and damp turning up together.
The 2008 joint heritage guide to salt attack and rising damp (Heritage Council of NSW, Heritage Victoria, the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage and Adelaide City Council) is the source for the mortar check below.
The checks, in order
Ask what the mortar will be
The guide's checklist says: don’t use hard cement mortar to repoint failed lime mortar joints — that will just drive the damp further up the wall and may also damage the bricks.
Ask about render and paint
A council fact sheet says: Ensure masonry walls are not rendered at the base with a strong impervious Portland cement mortar plinth to keep damp out. This only serves to trap moisture in the wall. Ensure old masonry walls are not painted, as this can trap the moisture and force it inside.
Ask the council about heritage
The State's guide to State Heritage Places lists masonry and plaster, re-pointing, underpinning, among the work that typically needs development approval at a State Heritage Place or Area, and says to contact your local council planning officer if you are unsure. It is not about local heritage places.
Ask who is authorised
South Australia's Building Work Contractors Act 1995 bars carrying on business as a building work contractor except as authorised under it. No page read says whether masonry repair is covered, so ask for the contractor number and which work it covers.
Pass on what you were told
Put the answers in the enquiry. A provider who knows the mortar, the coating and the approval position can quote with fewer assumptions.
What this does not tell you
It does not say whether your wall needs repointing, what it would cost, or whether your house is a heritage place; no government source read sets a price and this site sets none.
A council fact sheet adds that, ideally, at least 100mm of wall should be exposed below original tar-sand damp proof courses.
Artigellence is the marketing business that operates this site and writes its articles. It does not carry out the work described.
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Last reviewed · Updated · First published